Home Again
by cactus452
Summary: Carlisle and Alice share a moment after her return at the end of Breaking Dawn. Last in my Carlisle/Alice father/daughter series.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. Never have, never will.**

**So this is the last in the series of Carlisle/Alice fics.**

**Home again**

"_Don't look for us, there isn't time to waste._

_Remember, Tanya, Siobhan, Amun, Alistair, all the nomads you can find._

_We'll seek out Peter and Charlotte on our way._

_We're so sorry that we have to leave you this way, with no goodbyes or explanation. It's the only way for us._

_We love you." _

_(Breaking dawn, Chapter 29, Page 558)_

Carlisle's eyes burned, it had been over a month since he'd first read the words.

Yet even now, three days after their safe return, the grief still cut through his heart.

So much had been happening he hadn't had any proper time to spend with either Jasper or Alice.

He'd been busy with Nahuel and Huilen, and dealing with his recent absences from the hospital and they had been busy with the rest of the family making up for lost time.

After weeks of worry over his family and friends it was difficult to accept it was all over, everyone was safe, his family was complete again.

A timid knock at the door of his office made him look up.

"Can I come in?"

Alice stood there nervously.

All Carlisle could do was stare at her, his baby girl.

He would never choose favourites with any of his children, he loved them all equally, but there was something different, something special about the bound he had with Alice, because she had chosen him.

Edward, Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper even Bella looked to him as a father figure but they all had some memories of their human fathers.

Alice had nothing and she had picked him to fill that void.

That's how it had felt until she left.

Then the doubts began.

He had had no part in her transformation, he had not created her, therefore the bond was only emotional, he had always believed it would be enough, it made it stronger.

But did it?

"Carlisle?"

Her voice broke through his daze.

"Sorry, come in."

She danced forward sinking gracefully into the chair on the opposite side of the desk to him.

Her eye's flickered to the paper in Carlisle's hands and her face crumpled with guilt.

"I'm sorry Carlisle."

"Your home now." he said quietly, almost to himself.

She looked back at him.

"I'm sorry we put you through so much heartache though, I wish there had been another way…"

She trailed off.

The words seemed meaningless, no amount of apology could make up for the pain she'd caused them.

Every time she had taken a moment to check back on her family she had seen it, if it hadn't been for Jasper the guilt would have overwhelmed her. She had taken their hope when they had needed it the most.

"Do you forgive me?" The question was out before she could stop it. It was the one thing she needed to hear from her father right now.

Carlisle was kneeling in front of her less than a second later.

"There is absolutely nothing to forgive Alice, you saved all our lives."

Wrapping her arms around him she leant into his familiar comfort.

"I missed you daddy." she whispered.

"I missed you too Alice."

The pain, guilt and doubts began to ease in both of them .

Slowly Carlisle returned to his seat.

Alice's eyes flickered back to the letter lying on the desk.

"Why did you keep it?"

"Because it was from you. It was the last thing you left for me and I was trying to find the answers in it that I should have known in my heart."

This caused Alice to frown slightly.

Carlisle continued.

"After you left I would spend as much time as I could spare starring at this letter, trying to figure out why you left, what you were scared of, what you'd seen that made you run.

I should have realised that you had left to try and help us, save us, because that is all you have ever done since the moment you arrived."

He looked over at her a proud smile on his face.

"You are without a doubt one of the bravest most selfless person I have ever had the honour to know. You have always put this family above yourself and I should have known you would never abandon us.

I'm sorry too Alice, I'm your father and I'm sorry I had even a split second of doubt."

She smiled back.

"It's alright, it's not your fault I had to make you doubt so Aro would believe you had no options."

Carlisle's smile fell slightly at the mention of Aro, he had seen the look on his face when Alice had arrived in the clearing, the protectiveness he always felt for Alice rose in him at the thought of Aro's desire to have her in the guard.

Over his dead body!

He growled loudly as his anger increased.

A tiny hand on his arm brought him back to the office and Alice's concerned golden eyes.

"Sorry." he mumbled surprised at the level of rage he felt. "I just…"

Silence descended and Alice hugged his arm tightly, no words would help.

The anger left him as he gazed at her, she was home, she was safe, she had come back to him.

"I was so afraid I'd lost you." he admitted in a whisper.

Alice grinned up at him and hugged his arm tighter.

"You can't get rid of me that easily, I found you once I can find you again."

With those words Carlisle relaxed, the worry left him, Aro would be back for them at some point but for now his family was safe was complete and he intended to enjoy it rather than worry about what may happen.

Turning he wrapped Alice in his arms.

"Don't do that to me again young lady or you are grounded." he growled playfully.

Alice's tinkling laughter was like a salve soothing his heart.

"I'll always come home to you daddy, I promise."

**So that's it the last in the series, if you haven't read the others please give them a go.**


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